Colorado Sierra Club family,
I want to wish you and your loved ones a happy and healthy holiday season. 2024 is coming to a close and there is a lot to reflect on. Importantly, we can look at how far we have come and what is still to come. While this year’s federal election was not the results we were hoping for, we know what we need to do and we are moving forward to keep our progress and show that Colorado is a climate leader.
2024 led us to some exciting progress:
- Passed a law to protect Colorado’s steams, wetlands, and other crucial waterways after the Supreme Court ruling last year;
- Getting Xcel’s Clean Heat Plan adopted to align with climate goals.
- We got legislation that is paving the way towards getting our state off of polluting gas appliances;
- Beginning this spring, we have revitalized our chapter’s Public Lands Team; its activist leaders have hosted a wide variety of events including a park cleanup, creek re-seeding project, keynote speaker presentations, and a climate research lab tour that led to over 200 action takers to conserve public lands across Colorado.
- We won 32/35 races where we endorsed candidates across Colorado. That is a 91% success rate.
- Passed a law to help phase out PFAS “forever chemicals” from products sold in Colorado.
- We got 57 kids outdoors in Boulder with our Inspiring Connections Outdoors program.
- Passed a law to increase housing near transit and commercial centers to help prevent sprawl and make housing more affordable.
- 200,000 acres of public lands in the Thompson Divide removed from drilling or mining options.
These wins are not possible without supporters like you, our amazing volunteers that spend hundreds of hours for the benefit of all Coloradan’s and for our hard working staff that are the best you can have fighting for climate justice.
Let’s take a moment to celebrate all that we have accomplished this year across Colorado.
I am so thankful for our Colorado Sierra Club community. We can’t do this work without you in it. I am proud of the work we are doing and reflecting on what we have done this past year reminds me that even against tough odds we got this. We are not defeated, but we are determined and my hope for a better future is as bright as ever.
Take time to rest up over the holidays and as the new year starts we will be ready to lead this movement to protect Colorado’s people, lands, air, water and wildlife.
Consider a gift to this incredible work. 2025 we will be working to protect our progress in Colorado. We know how to do this, we need your support to give us the resources to do it. 100% of your donation will stay here in Colorado and support the work you have seen us capable of doing.
Happy New Year and thank you for being a changemaker,
Chris Applegate (he/him)
Colorado Sierra Club, Chair